Former prison officer Tenealle Shae Stevens sentenced for attempting to bring drugs into Goulburn Correctional Centre

Tenealle Shae Stevens, 36, pleaded guilty to three charges of supplying a prohibited drug, attempting to bring a prohibited drug into a place of detention and possessing a prohibited drug at Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, November 9.

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According to police documents, about 12.45pm on September 17, Stevens went to Goulburn Correctional Centre to visit an inmate. Upon entering the jail, Stevens underwent a full body scan and correctional staff observed something hidden in her mouth.

The court heard that someone had approached Stevens outside the jail and told her to take two balloons inside or Stevens' partner, who is currently an inmate at Goulburn Correctional Centre, would be assaulted.

Police documents revealed correctional staff retrieved the two balloons from Stevens' mouth after searching her person and belongings. One balloon held three individual bags marked 'N8' containing, in total, 3.29g of the opioid buprenorphine. The other balloon contained 1.64g of heroin.

Stevens' lawyer, Jason Benjamin Pham, said his client "did not know for sure what was inside the balloons", and was essentially used as "a mule".

Mr Pham said while all instances of supply were "inherently of a serious nature", the quantities Stevens had were not large.

The court heard that Stevens had since been banned from jail visits and Mr Pham argued this reduced her risk of re-offending.

Mr Pham said Stevens took full responsibility for the charges and described it as a "stupid mistake".

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Magistrate Geraldine Beattie said despite the drug quantities being low, the effect on the management of inmates if they had been successfully smuggled into the jail was "huge".

"Having worked on the inside you must have been aware of the effects [drugs] have on inmates," she said.

"It's a bit more than just a stupid decision, it's a dangerous decision."

Magistrate Beattie acknowledged that someone had threatened Stevens' partner but said she should have told police instead of involving herself with a "criminal enterprise".

"You've thrown away all your good character, your good name, everything you learnt when you had that job," she said.

Despite Stevens' ban from jail visits, Magistrate Beattie said she remained concerned Stevens could potentially become involved with drugs elsewhere.

Stevens was given an 18-month community corrections order, 200 hours of community service work and fined $900.

Magistrate Beattie said offences related to bringing drugs into jails had decreased when people stopped visiting throughout COVID-19.

"Looks like it's about to go up again," she said.

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